"An evolution beyond evolution—Pidgeot, Mega Evolve!!"
Ash shouted the command and lightly tapped the Key Stone embedded in the bracelet on his right wrist.
In the next instant, the Key Stone on his bracelet and the Pidgeotite mounted on the [Divine Catalyst Ring] around Pidgeot's ankle simultaneously erupted with dazzling light.
Golden streams of energy intertwined in midair before transforming into brilliant white evolutionary light.
The evolutionary light enveloped Pidgeot's body, forming a gigantic, radiant cocoon.
Inside the cocoon, Pidgeot's body rapidly underwent another evolutionary transformation.
Professor Sycamore, however, was not watching the spectacular scene.
Instead, he was completely focused on the energy-scanning equipment in front of him, rapidly operating the controls.
Through his previous research, Sycamore had discovered that when a Pokémon underwent Mega Evolution, it released a special type of energy.
More precisely, the Key Stone and Mega Stone appeared to resonate with each other, releasing this mysterious energy and causing a Pokémon that had already reached the end of its normal evolutionary line to undergo another evolution.
Professor Sycamore and the scholars and researchers in the Kalos region who specialized in Mega Evolution had given this special energy a name:
[Mega Evolution Wave].
Sycamore had also discovered that different Mega-Evolved Pokémon released different forms and quantities of Mega Evolution Wave energy when undergoing Mega Evolution.
He had not yet managed to uncover more information about this phenomenon.
But precisely because of that, he believed it was extremely important to collect the Mega Evolution Wave released by every Mega-Evolved Pokémon and eventually compile the data into detailed energy profiles.
"Pidgeot!"
The process of Pidgeot's Mega Evolution did not take long.
After roughly five seconds, the transformation was complete.
Mega Pidgeot appeared before Ash and Professor Sycamore in its entirely new form.
"Wow!"
"Is this what Pidgeot looks like after Mega Evolution?"
"Although I already watched your performance battle against Elite Four Wikstrom through the livestream this morning, Ash..."
"Seeing Mega Pidgeot up close like this is something else entirely. I have to say, it's incredibly cool!"
Looking at Mega Pidgeot, Professor Sycamore—who had previously been so busy operating the equipment and recording the energy profile that he barely looked up—finally turned his attention toward the newly transformed Pokémon.
His eyes were filled with undisguised amazement.
"Professor, have you finished collecting the energy released by Pidgeot's Mega Evolution?"
"Does Pidgeot need to return to its normal form and Mega Evolve again so you can collect another sample?"
Seeing Professor Sycamore step away from the equipment he had been operating, Ash asked.
"No need. Pidgeot's Mega Evolution Wave energy profile has already been recorded."
Sycamore smiled.
"Mhm."
Ash nodded and did not say anything more.
He simply instructed Mega Pidgeot to cooperate with Professor Sycamore while the professor collected its physical and external appearance data in its Mega-Evolved form.
Ash himself did not leave.
He remained inside the laboratory while Sycamore conducted the measurements.
Although it could be described as accompanying the professor, in reality, it was closer to supervising him.
With the assistance of advanced equipment, Sycamore worked extremely quickly.
It took only a few minutes to complete the collection and measurement of Mega Pidgeot's physical data.
"Ash, could I make one more small request?"
"Would you allow me to study the Key Stone you have and the Mega Stone Pidgeot is wearing?"
After completing the physical measurements of Mega Pidgeot, Professor Sycamore suddenly turned around and made another request.
"...?"
Ash's expression immediately became somewhat troubled.
"Ash, although I'm a researcher specializing in Pokémon Mega Evolution, Mega Evolution is extremely rare."
"In the past, even when I managed to locate Trainers who possessed the power of Mega Evolution and personally visited them, I was often turned away."
"Those Trainers were generally unwilling to let me study their Pokémon or their Mega Stones."
"Ash, if you're willing to cooperate, research into Mega Evolution in the Kalos region could make tremendous progress. We could achieve a major breakthrough!"
Professor Sycamore's emotions suddenly became somewhat excited.
But when he met Ash's gaze, the warmth in Ash's eyes gradually disappeared.
His expression slowly became colder.
Ash raised a hand and interrupted Professor Sycamore, preventing him from continuing.
"Professor, I'm a professional Pokémon Trainer, not a scholar or Pokémon researcher."
"Although I can understand how you feel, I also hope that you can respect and understand my identity and position."
"I'm no different from those 'other Trainers who possess the power of Mega Evolution' you just mentioned."
"If there really is a difference between them and me, I suppose it's that when you personally visited them, they turned you away without giving you anything."
"But I came here voluntarily, with respect and goodwill."
"I also openly told you everything Pidgeot and I learned while attempting to achieve and master Mega Evolution."
"Scientific research has no end, because human desire has no end."
"So, Professor, when it comes to research into Pokémon Mega Evolution, I've already given all the help and information I'm able to provide."
"I'm sorry."
Looking at the leading figure of the Kalos academic community standing before him, the smile on Ash's face was no longer as sincere as before.
Instead, it had become more formal and polite.
The desire scholars and researchers possessed to acquire knowledge and explore the unknown, and the desire Pokémon Trainers possessed to pursue greater strength...
These pure and powerful desires were precisely what drove people forward in their respective professions, allowing them to overcome countless obstacles and achieve extraordinary accomplishments.
But in interpersonal relationships, becoming so absorbed in one's own desires, position, and interests that one completely overlooked the other person's interests, position, and emotional response—while still expecting the other person to understand you—was an excellent way to destroy the goodwill someone had built up.
Whether intentional or unintentional, whether done consciously or unconsciously, such behavior was extremely damaging to a relationship.
Just like what had happened moments ago.
Ash had already told Professor Sycamore an enormous amount of valuable information about Pokémon Mega Evolution.
Yet the professor still was not satisfied.
He had gone so far as to ask Ash to hand over his Key Stone and Pidgeot's Mega Stone for research.
That one simple request was enough to completely exhaust the goodwill Professor Sycamore had built up in Ash's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ash."
After hearing Ash's words, Professor Sycamore immediately realized what he had done.
He had become too excited and allowed himself to get carried away.
He hurriedly offered a sincere apology.
"It's fine. I understand how you feel, Professor."
"However, the Key Stone and Mega Stone are witnesses to the bond between Pidgeot and me. Forgive me, but I cannot hand them over to you for research."
"Besides, the [Green Pearl Bracer] containing my Key Stone and the [Divine Catalyst Ring] holding Pidgeot's Mega Stone were both created by a legendary artisan of extraordinary skill who has already retired from the world."
"They are precious custom-made artifacts crafted personally by that master."
"In terms of how much I treasure them, they are no less valuable to me than the Key Stone and Mega Stone themselves—if anything, they are even more precious."
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T/N:
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